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COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION

Copyright Registration Process

Copyright Registration Process

A copyright is a form of intellectual property that protects the original expression of ideas in tangible forms, such as books, music, paintings, photographs, software, and movies. A copyright does not protect the idea itself, but the way it is expressed.

To obtain a copyright registration in the United States, one must follow these steps:

1. Prepare the application materials. This includes filling out the appropriate online or paper form, depending on the type of work being registered, and paying the required fee. The current fee schedule can be found on the U.S. Copyright Office website.

2. Submit the application materials. This can be done electronically or by mail, depending on the type of work and the form used. The application materials must include a copy or copies of the work being registered, which are called deposit copies. The number and format of deposit copies vary depending on the type of work and whether it is published or unpublished.

3. Wait for the registration certificate. The processing time for registration applications varies depending on the method of submission and the volume of applications received by the Copyright Office. The average processing time for online applications is 8 months, while the average processing time for paper applications is 13 months. The registration certificate is issued when the application is approved and contains information such as the registration number, effective date, title, author, and owner of the work.

A copyright registration provides several benefits to the owner of the work, such as:

– The ability to sue for infringement and recover statutory damages and attorney’s fees in court.
– The creation of a public record of ownership and authorship of the work.
– The possibility of registering the work with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to prevent the importation of infringing copies.
– The eligibility to participate in certain international treaties and conventions that protect intellectual property rights.

 

Copyright Registration Process

Copyright Registration Process
Copyright Registration Process

Copyright Application Status

If you have applied for copyright registration online or offline, you can check the status of your application using the Diary Number or the ROC Number that was issued to you by the Copyright Office. The Diary Number is a unique identifier that is assigned to each application when it is submitted online or offline. The ROC Number is a registration number that is generated after the application has passed the formality check and has been accepted for registration.

To check the status of your application online, you can visit the website of the Copyright Office (https://copyright.gov.in/) and click on “Status of the Application” under the Online Services section on the left side of the page. You will be directed to a page where you can enter your Diary Number or your ROC Number and click on “Submit” to view the status of your application. Alternatively, you can also search by the name of the applicant or the title of the work.

The status of your application will indicate whether your application is in work awaited, waiting, documents not received, formality check failed, registered or objected. You can also view the details of your application, such as the class of work, the title of work, the name of the applicant and the date of application. If your application is objected, you will also see the reason for the objection and the hearing notice and orders.

You can also check the status of your application offline by visiting or contacting the Copyright Office at Boudhik Sampada Bhawan, Plot No. 32, Sector 14, Dwarka, New Delhi-110078. You will need to provide your Diary Number or your ROC Number to check the status of your application offline.

Checking the status of your application regularly will help you to track the progress of your registration and to take necessary actions if required.